1. Summary of the Invention
This invention relates to an air conditioning system, and, more particularly, to a rear mounted, forward facing air conditioning unit mounted inside an interchangeable rear door for vans and recreational vehicles.
2. Description of the Background Art
There is an increasing popularity of vans, particularly vans converted into recreational vehicles (RV's) for passenger usage. Such popularity has forced the van conversion industry to adapt known air conditioning systems in order to supplement the original under-the-hood air conditioning systems supplied with the basic van. The adapted air conditioning systems are generally those initially developed to transport refrigeration for commercial trailers. The results have not been satisfactory.
The converted van needs a supplemental cooling system that is small, compact, and installable without cutting the van sheet metal. Such a system must be capable of delivering cool air to the rear portion of the van which now houses passengers. It should also be operable from a remote control panel mounted on the dashboard near the driver, and it should operate independently of the main internal combustion engine that powers the recreational vehicle on the road. Finally, such system should be readily accessible for maintenance, repair and replacement of the cooling system components.
Many systems have been developed to provide air conditioning for commercial vehicles, particularly over-the-road trailers and medium sized trucks used for route delivery of refrigerated products such as fresh meats, flowers, produce and the like. Typically, the systems utilize an auxiliary internal combustion engine, a compressor, a condenser charged with a refrigerant, and an evaporator for heat exchange purposes. The auxiliary internal combustion engine has the necessary electrical equipment for starting, stopping and controlling the auxiliary internal combustion engine. Gasoline is supplied to the auxiliary internal combustion engine via connecting fuel lines tapped into the main fuel line that runs from the gas tank to the main internal combustion engine. The shortcomings of the known apparatus for cooling the rear passenger section of a converted van or a recreational vehicle is evidenced by the large number of patents issued for units attempting to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art.
Typical of the background art is U.S. Pat. No. 3,512,373 issued to J. H. White which discloses a refrigerated system with an electrically powered auxiliary motor. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 4,551,986 issued to Anderson discloses a transport refrigeration unit with a slim width design mounted on the exterior front wall of a trailer and blowing cooled air backwards in the cargo section of the trailer. U.S. Pat. No. 4,394,818 issued to Brownfield discloses a transport refrigeration unit with a removable power pack for mounting on the outside front wall of a trailer and blowing cooled air backwards into the cargo section of the trailer. U.S. Pat. No. 4,432,213 issued to Katahira discloses using an auxiliary air conditioning system adjacent to a wheel housing in a motor vehicle and further discloses utilizing the roof pillar as a distribution channel for delivering cooled air to the passenger section of the motor vehicle, while U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,825 issued to King discloses a roof mounted air conditioning unit for cooling the interior of a bus. Anderson in U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,597 discloses a transport refrigeration system suitable for narrow post highway trailers with a minimum projection into the cargo space for cooling the air in the trailer cargo space; and Viegas in U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,002 discloses a transport refrigeration system with a two blower configuration for cooling the cargo space of the trailers. The unit is mounted on the outside front wall of the trailer and blows the cooled air backwards into the cargo section of the trailer. U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,663 issued to Nijjar discloses an auxiliary air conditioning system for trucks that interconnects to the primary cooling system of the truck and utilizes the truck primary cooling system for the heat exchange purposes. Note in particular, U.S. Pat. No. 4,217,764 issued to Armbruster. According to that disclosure, a roof mounted air conditioning system is used to cool the passenger section of a van or recreational vehicle. The warm air is inducted into the evaporator section adjacent to the roof and the cooled air is blown backwards toward the rear doors of the van or recreational vehicle, adjacent to the roof. The auxiliary internal combustion engine, compressor, and motor controls are mounted on the roof. The evaporator section is adjacent and below the internal combustion engine in a cut-out section of the roof panel.
As illustrated by the background art, efforts are continuously being made in an attempt to improve air conditioning systems for van and recreational vehicles. No prior effort, however, provides the benefits attendant with the present invention. Additionally, the prior patents and commercial techniques do not suggest the present inventive combination of component elements arranged and configured as disclosed and claimed herein.
The present invention achieves its intended purposes, objects, and advantages through a new, useful and unobvious combination of method steps and component elements, with the use of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, and by employing only readily available materials.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a replacement rear door for a van comprising in combination an interior front panel, an exterior rear panel with exterior peripheral panels defining an internal equipment storage zone; an air conditioning system housed entirely within the equipment storage zone for cooling the warm air generated in the passenger section of the van; a gasoline powered internal combustion engine for generating the electric power to operate the air conditioning system; gasoline connection means adapted to be coupled into the main gasoline supply line for supplying fuel to the engine; electric connection means adapted to couple the main battery of the van to the peripheral equipment of the engine; electronic means for controlling the stopping and starting of the air conditioning system; and hinge means extending outwardly from one of the panels for mating with the body hinges on the van.
It is a further object of the present invention to convert vans to recreational vehicles efficiently and economically.
It is a further object of the present invention to cool recreational vehicles with air conditioning equipment independent of original equipment.
It is a further object of the present invention to position air conditioning components of a vehicle for convenient maintenance and repair.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.